Celestial phenomena

 Amazing photo, isn't it! Quite a few things are happening in an icy, pre-hurricane sky. The lamp post blocks out the sun and you can see the sun dogs either side, as well as the circumzenithal arc above ... and a few other things (22 degree halo, 46 degree halo) -

This one is also spectacular, and more straightforward - pillars of artificial light in freezing fog, produced from refraction from ice crystals in the air that are all oriented in the same way -

For explanations of these, and other, things you might see in the sky - rainbows and shadows, for instance - settle down to watch Carolin Crawford's Gresham College lecture on atmospheric phenomena.

Somehow I went to one of her lectures at the Museum of London, while she was Gresham Professor of Astronomy (2011-15) and thereafter went regulary, and I go to other Gresham College lectures as well. It's so good to hear experts talking, not just when they are passionate about their work and subject, but also when they are experts in communicating to the public.

Dr Crawford's other astronomy lectures are on the Gresham College website, along with talks on other topics, including music, history, mathematics, law.

Interestingly, the college appointed its first female professor in 1993, after the college had been in existence for "only" 396 years - Heather Couper, also an astronomer.